


Fire Across the Galaxy (Nalu Angst Week 2018)

by shipambrosia_bree



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Betrayal, Broken, Distance, F/M, Gen, Insanity, NaLu Angst Week 2018, Nalu Angst Week, Sabertooth - Freeform, Shadows - Freeform, Tears, angst angst and more angst, appeasing the queen of angst, fairy tail - Freeform, my attempt at angst and pining, obstacles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-01
Updated: 2018-08-01
Packaged: 2019-06-20 09:11:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15530982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shipambrosia_bree/pseuds/shipambrosia_bree
Summary: My prompts for Nalu Angst Week 2018 (June 18th - June 24th). I'm unbelievably proud of these, and they're all dedicated to my wonderful tumblr friends who have given me so much support, especially the Queen of Fairy Tail angst, @sweetmemories1998!All of these were posted originally on my tumblr, @ship-ambrosia. I'm super proud! Some of these are short, some of these are long... but I hope you enjoy!





	1. The Etherious Queen

**Author's Note:**

  * For [SweetMemories1998](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetMemories1998/gifts).



> Lucy is turned into the Etherious Queen by a cult worshipping END, angry that she took their demon lord away. The Etherious attacks Fairy Tail, forcing Natsu to face her and all the things he wants to tell her.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucy is turned into the Etherious Queen by a cult worshipping END, angry that she took their demon lord away. The Etherious attacks Fairy Tail, forcing Natsu to face her and all the things he wants to tell her.

 She was cold.

  It was an unfamiliar feeling for Lucy. Usually she was surrounded by the warmth of the Fairy Tail guild, the fiery exchanges between the members of her team or, most commonly, the intense heat of her best friend and partner Natsu. She shifted and shivered as her body swam toward consciousness, but found itself too exhausted to break the surface.

  "…is her all right. Our Master will be pleased.“

  "This puny human is to blame? It will never work.”

  "She is the one who took away our Lord END. There are shadows swirling within her because of what she did. The ceremony will work.“

   _END?_  That was something she had not heard in a long time. Not since she had saved Natsu’s life by re-writing the Book of Zeref, and removing the demon from her best friend. So why were the voices around her talking about either of them?

  "Grab her. It is time for the sacrifice.”

  Lucy felt her body being lifted up, and inside her mind she kicked and screamed. Sacrifice?! She was going to be sacrificed? What was this? Who were these people? Her mental tantrum did nothing for the rest of her body though, and soon she was set down on cold stone.

  "Excellent,“ a new voice said, and some sort of liquid was forced down her throat. She realized with dread that it was the culprit behind her strangely drugged state, paralyzed on the outside but fully aware in her mind.

  "Lucy Heartfilia, for the vile crime of removing our Lord END from this world, you shall become an eternal servant to his throne. And you will destroy the very place that made such an act possible, Fairy Tail.”

  She screamed. She screamed and cried and prayed that she would wake up from the nightmare. She begged her friends to find her. Most of all, she wanted these people to pay for worshipping END, the thing that has tormented Natsu for so long.

  But her body made no sound in response.

  Lucy felt an object penetrate her chest, and cried at the intensely searing pain that circulated quickly through her body. Slowly, she felt her conscious draining away. What had they done? Had she truly been… sacrificed…?

  "Rise, Etherious Queen,“ spoke the leader of the Cult of END, as he removed his staff from the gaping hole in Lucy’s chest. "Rise, and seek out our Lord END’s mortal vessel, Natsu Dragneel. Destroy his home, Fairy Tail, and return him to us as we may bring Tartaros’s reign anew, with the Demon Lord at its lead.”

  Lucy opened her eyes, but they were no longer warm brown. Instead, her eyes had been turned a horrific black. She looked down to her chest to see the wound close up, as if nothing had happened.

  "Praise be to Lord END,“ spoke the revived witch, in a voice that stole Lucy’s and turned it demonic.

 

  The Fairy Tail guild hall was at its most bustling hour, mages of all ages mulling about and drinking away their day or searching for new jobs to take. Peculiarly absent from the festivities, however, were three of the guild’s most notorious wizards; Natsu Dragneel, Happy, and Lucy Heartfilia. It did not take their friends long to notice how odd that all three were missing.

  "Think Salamander finally put the moves on Bunny girl?” His fellow dragon slayer, Gajeel, inquired as he sat with the rest of Team Natsu, Pantherlily, Levy, and Juvia. He laughed his iconic chuckle, seemingly amused by the thought.

  "I doubt it,“ Gray snorted with a grin. "Natsu’s barely got half a brain to notice he might like her after all.”

  "I don’t know,“ ever polite Wendy insisted shyly. "I think it could have happened by now. Lucy could always be the one to confess first, too.”

  "No she couldn’t!“ Levy threw her head back in laughter. "Lu can’t even admit she likes him to me!”

  Erza, who had been watching the conservation with extreme curiosity, crossed her arms. “Well if the two of them are engaging in certain activities together, I only hope that they are being safe about it,” her expression darkened into a scowl. “And for his sake, that Natsu does not hurt Lucy; lest I be forced to slice him up into little pieces.”

  Juvia, who had been silent for nearly the whole discussion, clasped her hands together and jumped to her feet in excitement. “That means Lucy won’t be my Love Rival for my darling Gray any longer, correct? What joyous news! I always knew the two of them would end up together!”

  Gray face-palmed. “You just contradicted yourself, Juvia.”

  At that moment, the group’s attention was drawn to the front of the guild hall where the doors had swung open so violently they nearly flew off their hinges. A familiar blonde stood in the doorway.

  "Lucy?“ Erza said with a frown, almost instantly tensing up as she sensed something was wrong.

  Wendy grew nervous too. "Where’s Natsu and Happy?”

  She appeared to be scanning the guild hall for someone, and when the Sky Dragon Slayer mentioned their names, Lucy froze. She stared directly at the group of her teammates.

  "I don’t know,“ she was eerily calm. "I haven’t seen them since last night, when we left the guild. That’s who I’m looking for.”

  "Really?“ Levy raised an eyebrow. "He left with you. I guess we all just assumed he’d spend the night. Like he does every night.”

  "Well you thought wrong,“ she snapped.

  Levy flinched back, holding her hands up. "Whoa, Lu. What’s got you so worked up? Did something happen with Natsu?” She elbowed Gajeel beside her when she heard him mumble under his breath that it was clearly just the blonde’s time of the month.

  Gray appeared to be studying her intensely. “That idiot pull some crap and ruin things between you guys?”

  Erza got to her feet now. “I will slay him!”

  "No, no need. I just need to know where he is.“

  "Usually we’re the ones who come to you if we wanna know that,” Wendy added, shrinking back when Lucy’s furious gaze turned to her.

  Lucy glanced around the guild hall once more, sighing. “If he’s not here, then, I guess I’ll go look at his house or something. What a pain.”

  She turned to leave the guild hall when she found herself frozen in her spot. Juvia had jumped up and hugged her, and was squeezing her so tightly that she could not shake the water mage off.

  "Oh Lucy! I sincerely must apologize for the way I have treated you these last few years!“ She was sobbing, tears getting everywhere. "I truly thought you were in love with my darling Gray as well! But if you have feelings for Natsu, that couldn’t be more perfect and I fully intend to support your relationship!”

  "Get off me!“ Lucy groaned as she tried to detach Juvia, but the young, emotional woman held on tight. She stopped when something that Juvia had said registered with her. "Wait… Natsu and I? We’re dating?”

  "Uh, I guess that would be something the two of you would have decided yourselves?“ Wendy laughed nervously.

  "We all know you have feelings for each other,” Gajeel sneered. 

  Erza glanced from him back over to Lucy. “It’s just a matter of time. Did it happen last night? Is that why you’re trying to find him?”

  But she was hardly listening anymore, as Lucy began to laugh. “That’s perfect! That’s just too perfect!”

  Her smile was gone in the next instant however, replaced by utter disgust, when Juvia squeezed her again. “I’m so happy for you!”

  "I said  _get off me_!“ She roared so loud it seemed as though she had two voices. She then shoved Juvia so violently with such unexpected strength that the other girl flew into an unoccupied table and went crashing to the ground. It all happened so fast, and they were all so stunned by what had happened - including Juvia herself - that by the time an ominous, shadowy mass of magic had compiled itself in Lucy’s hand, no one had reacted.

  "Eternal Darkness!” She shrieked, the two voices going inhumanly shrill as she fired a blast of magic at Juvia, striking her directly in the chest. The water mage let out a horrific scream, one that shook the shock off the rest of their friends as they scrambled to their feet. 

  At the same time the guild hall doors flew open again, this time announcing the appearance of a salmon-haired dragon slayer and his Exceed companion. The words died in his throat as he watched Lucy attack Juvia ferociously with a spell that wasn’t her own.

  Natsu had woken up in Lucy’s bed, strangely alert and alarmed. Then he realized why; he’d fallen asleep next to her, and per usual she was awake before he was and he was getting worked up over nothing. But upon checking her whole house (while helping himself to her food), he found she was not there. After spending all morning following her scent only to have it disappear at the edge of Magnolia, he had immediately deduced something was wrong and rushed to the guild hall to tell everyone that Lucy was missing.

  Only she wasn’t, because he had definitely just watched her attempt to kill Juvia.

  "Lucy!“ Happy cried, drawing the attention of the blonde celestial wizard. She smiled cruelly when her eyes fell upon Natsu, and he felt a shiver run down his spine. Lucy’s brown eyes were gone, replaced by black irises that swirled with evil.

  "If it isn’t just who I was looking for,” it was Lucy’s voice that spoke, not that horrific sound he had heard upon entering. 

   Natsu took a shaky step forward toward her. “Lucy-”

  Only for him to recoil back with a exclamation, as a wall of ice suddenly cut in front of him. He looked to find Gray with an unconscious Juvia in his arms, the black markings that appeared whenever he used his demon slaying magic were covering the right side of his body and part of his face already.

  "Natsu, don’t take a step closer,“ his voice shook with fury. "That isn’t Lucy. She’s been possessed by a demon.”

 

  "What?“ Happy was the first to reply. "Lucy’s body has been taken over by a demon?”

  "Everybody! Get out of the guild hall, NOW!“ Erza yelled toward the rest of the members who were watching the exchange with confused and horrified expressions. She and Gray seemed to be the only ones who were able to think straight; Wendy looked like she was going to start crying, Levy stared at her best friend with shock and horror, Gajeel was fuming after witnessing the attack on his closest friend, Juvia, and Natsu… the only word to describe his expression was broken. What had happened? Why was the demon here and what did it want with Lucy? Why was she looking for him?

  "Natsu!” Gray yelled.

  He looked up to dodge an attack from demonic Lucy, who let out a melancholic sigh. “I won’t hurt anyone if Natsu just comes with me quietly. Clearly the hall was very unnecessary.”

   "Sure you’d say that,“ Gray slammed his hands together and fired ice demon-slaying lances at her. "Natsu ain’t goin’ nowhere! And you’re gonna give us Lucy back!”

  She effortlessly dodged his attacks though, focusing in on Natsu. “I  _am_  Lucy. I’m right here.”

  The girl before him might have Lucy’s body, but his partner, she was not. It was more than the dark eyes, more than the strange shadow magic, more than possessed. He knew Lucy, her scent and her hopes and dreams and none of what the imposter had could measure up to that. Clenching his fist, Natsu caught her off guard by letting out his Fire Dragon’s Roar.

  "You are not Lucy!“ He roared furiously. "What do you really want? Who are you really? And  _how the hell did you get to Lucy_?!”

  The demon considered his demands for a moment, tapping her chin - no, Lucy’s chin - before smiling. “I am simply known as an Etherious Queen. And I am here for my lord, my liege… the one person I was born to serve.”

  His blood ran cold completely, like Gray had frozen it in his veins. “You want END.”

  "It appears my lord’s mortal vessel is more clever than I anticipated.“

  Her answers raised only more questions to him, but as the Etherious Queen didn’t seem to be threatening him, Gray, Erza, and the rest of their friends did not attack her; for now. Good, because he needed to know everything. He had to make someone pay for what they had done to Lucy.

  "Why would you want END back? His only purpose was to destroy Zeref. Zeref has been killed! Even if END could return to the world, he’d just kill everything, including you and whoever sent you!”

  She gave him an even stare. “What only matters is my service to him, and nothing more. Lucy was sacrificed to become my vessel because of her horrendous crime in destroying END.”

  He heard Gray swear under his breath. “Dammit, she rewrote the book!” He growled. “Must’ve given them something demonic to attach to.”

  For possessions to work, the mortal had to have something inside their body to anchor the demon soul. Mirajane had demon blood, which was how her Takeover magic worked. Gray was right, Lucy held shadows within herself… shadows acquired when she saved him from END. Natsu felt a stab of guilt in his gut. This was his fault then. He had to save Lucy, but also because he had so many things to tell her. So many things she deserved to know.

  "I won’t hold back for what you’ve done,“ he scowled, rage building up in his chest, making his fire burn hotter. "Who did this? Who sent you?”

  She laughed. “You’d certainly better hold back, otherwise you’ll burn the body of your precious Lucy to a crisp.” The demon in Lucy’s body grabbed the key chain at her waist, and Natsu’s eyes widened.

  "No!“ He dove at her, but she leapt out of his way and opened two celestial spirit gates. The sound of two doorbells rang out through the hall. He saw two figures before the smoke cleared, one with ginger hair, the other a black maid dress.

  "Loke! Virgo!” Happy exclaimed, circling the two in a panicking fashion. “Close your gates! Close your gates quickly! Lucy’s been possessed!”

  The two spirits looked to the members of Fairy Tail, immediately noticing Gray and Erza in full battle mode and Wendy attempting to ensure Juvia was okay. Gajeel and Levy stood by, ensuring their safety as they watched the fight. Then they noticed Lucy standing behind them, and the two immediately recognized that it truly wasn’t their wizard who had summoned them.

  Loke scowled, his fists glowing in a similar manner to Natsu. “That was a foolish idea to summon us. We only fight for Lucy.”

  "I concur,“ Virgo nodded. "Princess! We will save you!”

  This statement made Natsu hesitate. “Wait, what do you mean we’ll save her?”

  Before anyone could respond however, the Etherious Queen waved her hand, surrounding Loke and Virgo in a darkened aura. The two cried out in pain like nothing the members of Team Natsu had ever heard.

  "No! Damn you!“ Erza exclaimed, and attacked brandishing her Black Wing Armor.

  "I prefer Lucy’s spirits with a little more darkness to them, don’t you think?” The Etherious Queen answered, and Erza’s assault was stopped when a whip yanked her sword out of her hand.

  "Oh you’ve got to be kidding me!“ Natsu groaned, staring at Loke and Virgo… who had been transformed into their corrupted Eclipsed versions. Both looked as cruel and evil as the demon who had corrupted them.

  "We’ll hold them off. Gray! Gajeel!” Erza exclaimed, re-equipping into Heaven’s Wheel. “Natsu, Virgo sensed Lucy’s presence! She’s still in her body with the demon! Bring her back!”

  The resolve in his chest to protect his best friend rang out with her words. Lucy… he had hurt her so much over the years, but he had also made her smile and laugh and had held her when she cried. He’d also threatened anyone who hurt her, made those who made her cry pay. Hell, was he going to stop protecting her? No, never!

  "Lucy!!“ He yelled, once more jumping at the demon though as his friends clashed with the Eclipsed spirits. He ignited his hand for Fire Dragon’s Iron Fist. "I know you’re there! I won’t ever give up on you!”

  For a second the demon’s grin disappeared. “Natsu?”

  He faltered again, but when the Etherious Queen’s expression returned, she was too furious to take advantage of his weakness. “Shut up, you!”

  Hope bubbled in him, as well as pride. That was his partner! Always fighting! Of course Lucy wouldn’t be gone! Of course he’d have her back!

  "Lucy, I see you!“ He cried desperately. "I’m sorry that this is all because of what you had to do to save me! You are strong, you can overcome her. Come on, come back! Take back control of your body and the moment I know you’re safe I’ll make whatever bastard did this to you pay!”

  "Natsu, I hear you,“ she gasped. He saw her brown eyes. She was winning. She was coming back, and he heard with relief as she forced Loke and Virgo’s gates closed. He wasn’t sure if the two of them would be safe and normal now, but that was something they could worry about when they got her back.

  He rushed forward to grab her, to hold her close. She was almost back to him, the person he cared about most in the world was within his grasp. He had been so close to losing her that there was a million things he wanted to say. He wanted to laugh with her, fall asleep in her bed, go on jobs with her. Natsu saw the look in her eyes. She was almost there. Just one more push. Natsu took a deep breath. He knew what she needed to hear, the thing he’d been holding back inside him for so long.

  "Lucy, I lo-”

  The world flashed red. Her eyes flew open and Lucy collapsed into him. Natsu, who was still rushing toward her, caught her in his arms and was stunned for a moment before rolling her back to see what had happened. He almost dropped her when he saw the small knife stuck in her abdomen. 

  Blood. Already there was so much blood. How could that even be?

  Horrified, he looked back to her face to find her grinning at him. The Etherious Queen’s eyes had stolen her brown ones.

  "If I can’t have Lord END,“ she whispered softly in Lucy’s dying breaths, breaths that the demon didn’t deserve to steal. "Then you don’t get to have her.”

  He saw her brown eyes once more for an instant before the life slipped from her.

  "No!“ Levy’s shriek broke the air, as she descended into hysterical sobbing from behind him.

  "Lucy!” Happy cried in anguish, and nearly the rest of the present mages did the same.

  Natsu felt his whole body start to tremble, arms shaking while he held her. He grew numb, numb to Lucy’s blood on him, numb to the rage that he felt, numb to Erza’s touch when she and Gray rushed to his side. Numb to the tears that started to fall down his face as images of Igneel’s death flashed with those of Lucy’s. Both had been stolen from him. Murdered. Ripped from his life so violently, that he could never recover.

  He should have said it all those years ago, the morning after the party. Maybe all of this could have been prevented if he’d been brave enough to tell her, instead of chickening out and dragging her to the century quest that they had completed in a single year. He should have told her then, now the thing she would never know.

  He loved Lucy.


	2. Fairy Amongst Tigers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natsu leaves and Fairy Tail falls apart. The only people who are there for Lucy are the ones who at one point laughed at her.

_It has been exactly three weeks since Fiore was rocked by the news of number one magic guild, Fairy Tail, disbanding. Though some prominent members have joined fellow guilds, a number still remain unaccounted for. Here’s what we know…_

  Wendy and Carla joined Lamia Scale to form a team with Chelia Blendy. Gajeel, Levy, and Pantherlily became members of the Rune Knights of the Magic Council. The Strauss siblings remained in Magnolia while Cana moved to a city renowned for its beer production and bars.

_Many of Fairy Tail’s most popular and strongest wizards however, have not been heard from. Erza Scarlet, known by many as “Titania, Queen of the Fairies” is among those. Laxus Dreyar, the master’s grandson, along with his Thunder Legion Freed, Bickslow, and Evergreen follow her, as well as Fairy Tail’s master himself. Gray Fullbuster and Juvia Lockser have not been heard from either, despite a few reports that mention a pair matching their description headed north of Fiore. And of course first on that list also is-_

  "The young wizard prodigy known as Salamander, Natsu Dragneel,“ Lucy read aloud to herself, her heart sinking as she read the words. "Though Natsu’s former partner, Lucy Heartfilia, has been spotted with mages from Sabertooth - sources have not confirmed whether or not Lucy has joined the guild officially yet - both he and his Exceed companion Happy disappeared from public record before Fairy Tail had even disbanded.

  Many speculate whether his disappearance could be linked to the guild’s break up, or if Lucy knows anything of his whereabouts. As previously covered, rumors circulated in plenty about the relationship between the two of them; some stating they act as though they are madly in love with one another, and others claiming that they fight like enemies. We here at Sorcerer’s Weekly think that it’s worth noting Lucy chose Sabertooth to reside in, which is famously led by Sting Eucliffe; the youngest magical guild master in history, as well as fellow dragon slayer and infamous rival to Natsu.”

  Near the end of the article, she couldn’t help but read with disappointed annoyance. Of course Sorcerer Weekly wouldn’t be interested in  _where_  her friends were, but what scandal they could fabricate. Her and Sting? Hah, like that would ever happen!

  Her and Natsu though… that had once been a distant fantasy, something influenced by the whispers of her friends and the vaguely romantic gestures her partner had expressed over the years. Now, it was all just a painful memory.

  "Lucy, are you obsessing over those Fairy Tail reports again?“ A soft, feminine voice scolding her announced Yukino’s presence in the room. The white-haired celestial wizard set down a cup of tea for Lucy, giving her a concerned expression as she sat down on the couch across the table. "I told you to give yourself a break! It’s just going to stress you out more.”

  She sighed again at Yukino’s words, knowing her friend was right. Upon noticing her celestial spirit Plue chewing on Yukino’s furniture, she quickly summoned the little dog-like snowman to sit in her lap.

  "I know, but I can’t help it,“ she paused, taking a deep breath in an attempt to stop herself before she could start crying. Lucy had been inconsolable when Fairy Tail broke apart. She had spent so much of the time afterwards reading and pouring over the news stories and reports, keeping track of her friends; at least those she could find.

  But the breakup of the guild had been dwarfed in comparison to what she experienced just a week before Fairy Tail was gone, when she found the note. When she felt everything that she had ever known slip away from her. Every promise they made to protect one another. Like every time he stood up after taking a beating for her was null and void. There were rumors swirling around that Erza was working full time with Jellal and Crime Sorciere. Wendy and Carla had joined a team with Chelia in Lamia Scale. She was certain the sightings of Gray and Juvia headed north were really them.

  But she had not heard a single thing about Natsu and Happy.

  Lucy clenched her fists against her legs and the tears started coming. She heard Yukino gasp and scramble to her feet, wrapping her arms around Lucy a moment later.

  "Why…?” she sobbed. “Why did they leave me? Why didn’t Natsu ask me to come with him?! I… I…  _I would have gone with him!_ ”

  It was a rhetorical question, obviously; one that Yukino didn’t know the answer to, that Lucy felt she herself would never know. The only person who knew the answer had packed up and left with no warning. He had left her shattered on the ground to pick up the pieces all alone. All the belief she held in him, for all the strength that Natsu gave her, it all came crashing down. Her own feelings betrayed her now, the only thing they were good for was splitting her heart in two.

  Did she love him? Lucy hated that she may never really know.

  They sat there like that for a long while in silence, Yukino holding her closely while Lucy cried into her. But after some time she stopped crying - it was more likely she ran out of tears, because the pain had not dulled - and softly thanked her.

  "I just want to know something,“ she explained, Yukino addressing her with understanding. "Anything. He could be dead for all I know.”

  "But he’s not, because he’s Natsu,“ her friend assured her. "How do you know they won’t come back Lucy?”

  "Sting and Rogue always say that to me,“ she laughed bitterly. "They’re more certain of it than I am.”

  If someone had told Lucy back at the Grand Magic Games that a year from then, she’d find solace among the wizards of Sabertooth with her world collapsing around her, she’d have laughed harder than anything else; just as they had done to her. Laughed at her misery and pain after Minerva mercilessly attacked her in the Games. Sting, Orga, Rufus… they had defended Minerva, shrugged off her teammates’ fury as though they were the ones who had stepped out of line. Rogue was the only one who hadn’t; but she had watched his future self, the one who came through the Eclipse Gate to summon dragons, murder the Future Lucy in cold blood.

  Among the wizards of Sabertooth was where she found herself now though, the only ones left concerned for how she was doing through everything.

  "Well, I think Sting is just  _counting_  on Natsu to come back,“ Yukino answered with a fond smirk. "Natsu has always been his idol, and I know he wants to get stronger than him. Rogue though, Rogue and Minerva are the ones to listen to over that.”

  When Lucy looked away sadly, Yukino leaned over and took her hand. “None of them wanted me to tell you this, but they’re trying to find him for you, Lucy. Sting stays up through the night contacting peopled and most of the missions that Rogue and Minerva have taken they’ve used to hunt for clues too. Orga and Rufus and everyone in Sabertooth, we’re working as hard as we can to find him. All those times that we went on missions too, Lucy, the two of us… I always hope we’ll find him.”

  She was shocked, to say the least. Yukino had made it very clear that she wanted Lucy to join Sabertooth, so that the two of them, among the last celestial wizards in Fiore, could form a team and work together. But she had no idea that their guild was so bent on finding Natsu. So bent on helping her.

  "Thank you,“ she croaked weakly, wiping the tears from her eyes.

  "Sting is going to offer you a place in Sabertooth,” her friend added, taking both of her hands. “We’ve gone on missions together, Lucy! I want you to join Sabertooth… we all do! You have a place here.”

  She smiled sadly. While Sabertooth had opened their door to her, Yukino and Sting and Rogue and even Minerva had welcomed her with warm arms, she didn’t think she could do it. Fairy Tail was everything to her. Could she ever even let the mark on her hand fade, let alone replace it? She was a fairy through and through, and though she was grateful for their support, she had always felt somewhat out of place amongst the tigers of Sabertooth.

  Yukino seemed to read Lucy’s answer on her face, and her expression fell. “You can’t let go of Fairy Tail… I understand. I couldn’t let go of Sabertooth.”

  "Levy suggested that I move to Crocus,“ Lucy told her. "I appreciate everything that you and Sting and the others have done, and I don’t want to seem ungrateful. But it’s just… all the magic reminds me of Fairy Tail. And of Natsu.”

  "It’s okay Lucy. I felt like that once too,“ she reminded them both grimly of when she had been expelled from her guild. Yukino squeezed her hand. "But it means nothing for our friendship. I’ll always be here for you. I’ll get Sting and the others to help you move, too.”

  "Speaking of that dragon slayer,“ Lucy rose an an amused eyebrow at her friend. "How do you know so much about Sting? Or that he was looking for Natsu, and that he wanted to offer me a spot in the guild? You’ve clearly been spending an  _awful_  lot of time with him, Yukino.”

  When the white-haired wizard blushed an interesting shade of red, Lucy laughed. It reminded her of all the times when her guildmates would tease her over Natsu. Two dragon slayers, and two celestial wizards. She only hoped that their story would have a happier ending than her own.

 

  When they returned from moving Lucy into her new home in Crocus, he pulled Yukino aside.

  "How are you doing?“ Sting asked her.

  "I’m sad. But I understand why she didn’t join Sabertooth. She wants Fairy Tail back so badly, and she wants Natsu back even more. We were just a reminder of what she lost, and what he did to her.”

  "Natsu will be back, I’m very sure of it,“ Sting said sharply. "Because Rogue thinks he’s found him.”

  Yukino’s eyes widened. “What? How?”

  He grinned, his eyes sparkling mischievously. It made her heart pound more. “We found some magical  occurrences that could only be him. So Rogue is going to check it out more. And when we find Natsu…” his eyes darkened. “We’re gonna remind Natsu of who he’s hurt with what he’s done. How he hurt Lucy.”

  Yukino felt a swell of warmth at Sting’s resolve. She could feel Lucy’s feelings in her friend’s tears; Natsu and Lucy belonged together. She wanted nothing more than to bring them back together, to remember the hope and strength that the two of them installed in other people.

  "Good,“ she answered softly. "If he feels the same about Lucy that she does him, he should. I want him to come back to her.”

  Yukino wished she had more power to help Lucy as she had helped her a year ago when they first met. She wanted Lucy to remember the partner that made her life as a member of Fairy Tail wizard possible. For Lucy to see just how much of Natsu’s strength came from her. To see what the rest of the world saw between them.


	3. If Only She Knew

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> If only she knew the power her tears had on him, or the memories that came along with them which brought him back to her.

  First the world stopped.

  He’d been in the middle of a fight, that much he knew. He’d been fighting a giant dragon of crystals, had been pushing every bit of strength into his fire as he could. He had not been having a good day; in fact it had been awful. Roasting that damn bird after breaking out of his prison, remembering what he had almost done to Lucy while under mind control. Realizing she had been taken somewhere else by that disgusting bastard after he found Erza, Gray, and Wendy. Tracking her down only to find the pervert had chained her up  wearing nothing but a skimpy rag. Damn, had it felt good to punch that guy with everything he had. To rescue Lucy from him. To have her by his side when he confronted their enemies for control of the Dragon Cry.

  He knew his track record with fighting dragons wasn’t great, but it was nothing to scoff at either. The crystalline dragon was powerful though, and Natsu got knocked around and bloodied quite a bit. He fought with everything he had, all the fire he could muster. Then the two collided and that was when he felt the impact. His breath left him.

  "Natsu!“ Lucy screamed.

  As time slowed down, dull pain slowly licked its flames at his body. It grew more intense, and the heat that he felt was not his own. He had never felt pain from his flames or the heat from other fire, so the experience being akin to fire was a horrific thing to him. Natsu looked down to find a crystal spike had impaled him. Blood rushed from his own body around the crystal and Natsu remembered thinking that he had never seen himself wounded so badly before.

  He was tossed like a ragdoll from the rampaging dragon’s body, and all he could do was let out a sickening cry when his wound was exposed to the world and when his back harshly hit the ground. His vision had grown blurry by the time Lucy and Happy reached him. Natsu took a shaky breath before the pain became too much and he lost consciousness.

  ” _Natsu!_ “ Lucy’s voice was gentle in his head, even though he was sure she was screaming it in his ears. ” _Come on! Get up! Natsu, it can’t end like this! Get up! You have to! Natsu!_ “

  She was right… giving up was so unlike him.  _Losing_  was so unlike him. But damn had that hurt… and that wound had been grievous, he’d never experienced physical pain like that before. The only thing it measured up to was the moment he lost Igneel.

  Something wet touched his lips and slipped into his mouth. Even in his unconscious state, Natsu’s senses were still wild and he could very clearly taste salty tears. They tasted just like Lucy smelled; they were  _Lucy’s_  tears. He  _hated_  when she cried, always had. He had always promised to destroy whatever made her cry.

  These tears were shed for him, though, and it was a horrible feeling to realize he was the one who had made her cry. But her words  _"Come on! Get up! You have to!”_  made something deep within him burn. 

  She believed in him. Gray believed in him, and Happy, Erza, Wendy, Carla, even Gajeel, Levy, Lily, Juvia, Mira, Elfman, Lisanna, Laxus, Cana, Romeo… he could see visions of his guildmates rocket by him. Fairy Tail believed in him, gave him strength. But she gave him strength greater than anything he had ever felt before he met her. The intense fire in his veins quickly burned out the pain from his wounds.

  A final vision appeared, of the glowing blonde celestial wizard pulling him down the cobblestone street of Magnolia. She was smiling and laughing and running. He honestly couldn’t remember what they had been doing, but he remembered the memory well. Dressed in white, Lucy looked ethereal, like an angel who lit up the night sky. He could very clearly smell her, a scent that he would never forget. A scent that had led him to her countless times, allowed him to keep his promises to her. Allowed him to always have her back, always be able to rescue her since the day they became partners.

  And then the Lucy in his vision turned around and grabbed both of his hands and smiled at him. He forgot how blinded by her radiance he always was. Why he always had to protect her. Why she was the source of his strength.

  There was a roaring in his ears as he finally opened his eyes. He could hear nothing, but the smile through the tears on both Lucy and Happy’s faces were enough to keep him going.

   _“I never lived to kill dragons. I have a better reason; to protect my friends. That’s why I live! That’s why I fight!”_

  He was surrounded by white-hot flames. Though Natsu wasn’t really sure what was going on, all he knew was that Lucy’s tears had brought it out of him. If only she knew the effect she had on him, it would probably move her to tears once more. If she knew the way he felt, maybe she would understand why he fought his hardest to protect her, and to dry her tears.

   _“It doesn’t matter what you call me, I’d throw it all away for them! If I didn’t have them at my side, then my life would mean nothing!”_

 

  As the sun rose, as the day was won, he couldn’t take his eyes off her. Lucy was just as beautiful as she appeared in his vision. He thought, as he grinned, if only she knew. As he hooked his arm around her harshly and she let out a cry, he wondered if she had ever thought the same.

   _“We got lots of love here. We’re like a family!”_

  Even if she hadn’t, he would still fight his hardest when she cried.


	4. Miles Apart, Two Inches Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Though much of him is the same, there’s a lot about him that has changed. He worries she’s moved past him. They both feel so close, and yet further away than ever.

  The moment the hood came off, she couldn’t breathe.

  That smile, bright as ever. The flames, hotter than she had ever felt before as she scrambled to cover her bare chest; even high in the stadium that she was, the intense heat from his fire had melted away her shirt. That pink hair, now longer and messier, was as recognizable as ever. Happy perched on her shoulder, and for a moment her heart swelled. She was the happiest she had been in a year.

  When Natsu looked up and saw her, and his whole face lit up, her heart soared. Her life was coming back. Everything was going back to normal.

 

  Once she had taken him home to her apartment though, after telling him about what had happened to Fairy Tail, Lucy realize that everything was never going back to normal. He still had broken her heart. He had abandoned her. He had left her behind for some reason, and they had only ran into each other because he had wanted to fight the winner of the Grand Magic Games. If she hadn’t been there, would he have ever come looking for her?

  He hadn’t understood her anger at first, but after learning about what happened after he’d left, Natsu felt guilty. He had ran away because he’d felt powerless, but he had never once thought his friends would hurt so bad with him gone. He couldn’t blame her if she hated him. He prayed and hoped that she didn’t, because he didn’t think he could stand a future without her. It had always been his plan to come back. But she didn’t know that, and she had no reason to believe him if he said so.

  Hearing all the adventures between him and Happy hurt her. How they’d burned down a mountain. How he’d fought Gildarts. He trained and got immeasurably strong, just as she’d seen in the arena. And he’d done it all  _without her_. Her heart sunk, and she desperately wished she had been with him.

  Being away from her had killed him, but he couldn’t take her with him. Natsu wished she was fawning over him and his new strength, but he knew how selfish that was of him to desire. He watched her smile, watched her take care of him as he told her his stories, and he could see the pain in her eyes. Eyes that he had missed all along. A voice that he had strained his ears to hear. Her smell that haunted him in his dreams, teasing him, wrapping him up in her softness. He smiled to hide his intense protectiveness, something that he didn’t deserve to feel.

   _So much about him has changed in just one year._  Lucy thought.

   _She doesn’t have the same sparkle in her eyes anymore, and it’s all my fault._  Natsu realized.

  They sat and talked for hours, but only the blue Exceed sitting on the shelf above them saw the things they were really thinking.

   _What if he leaves me behind again?_  She despaired.

   _What if she’s moved on from me?_  He didn’t think he could ever stand being away from her ever again.

  Only Happy saw both sides of the coin, of the thoughts of both the humans he cared about most in the world. The two who were his family. Neither could see the true meaning behind the other’s words.

   _I could never move on past Natsu._

   _I could never leave Lucy behind again._

  Yet they never voiced their doubts, subsequently allowing the other to reassure them. Happy watched as Natsu Dragneel and Lucy Heartfilia tore themselves apart while sitting two inches away from their own salvation.

   _I didn’t tell him enough how much he meant to me._

   _I should have told her everything._

  All Happy could do was look between them, at the crumbling relationship in front of him, even though on the outside they were both smiling.

   _Can I ever trust him again?_

   _Will she ever trust me again?_

   _Can I tell him…_

   _Can I tell her…_

   _How much it hurt to be without you?_

  Thousands of unspoken words, with dozens of unanswered questions. Two people who wanted nothing more than to be as close as they had once been, but too scared to cross the line that had been drawn. Though they sat next to each other on the couch, though Natsu’s touch lingered on her and Lucy leaned into him a little more than she should, the two of them had never had more distance between them.

    _I want to be mad at you, but I don’t want to ever lose you again._

    _I want you to be happy, but I’d kill anyone who made you happier than I can._

   Their thoughts converged on the same three words. Words that they both believed wholeheartedly, but knew they could never say.

    _I love you, Natsu._

_I love you, Lucy._

_But I don’t think I could ever deserve yours._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's probably my favorite of the week's prompts that I've written!


	5. Lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natsu is losing his mind; it’s the only explanation for the dragon slayer over his behavior. The alternative is too complicated.

Flashing lights greeted them wherever they went. For all the grief that Fairy Tail had gotten over the years from the kingdom, they certainly were celebrated now. Particularly the members of Team Natsu - Gray, cool and aloof, drove the women across Fiore as a hero (something which made Juvia nearly lose her mind); Erza, a bonafide warrior princess, who had always been rather popular but since skyrocketed; Wendy, with her cheerful little girl charm, won the hearts of everyone she met. Even Natsu himself, who like Erza, had always been well-known, enjoyed the spotlight as Salamander of Fairy Tail. The one who benefited most though, was certainly Lucy.

And that was what was gripping his nerves at the moment, watching from across the guild hall as his partner was once again hounded by media personnel. It didn’t matter how many times she promised she was an exclusive columnist and model for Sorcerer Weekly, every newspaper and magazine across Fiore wanted to have Lucy on their covers. Fairy Tail had to learn the hard way that some of them would do it without her permission either, and worst of all, he’d been forced to sleep at his own house after a few snapshots were taken of him both sneaking in Lucy’s bedroom window and, even worse, in bed with his arms wrapped around her. His best friend had been furious, whining about her love life’s reputation being crushed following rumors that the two of them were “sleeping together” (upon his insistence that they were, in fact, doing such a thing, Gray, Gajeel, and Cana had burst into laughter and Mira had to quickly subdue a fuming Erza who looked ready to kill. Lisanna and Juvia had hurriedly informed him of what “sleeping together” actually implied and Natsu assured everyone present that he and Lucy were not actually doing _that_ ).

But that whole ordeal had been his descent into the madness he currently found himself in. First of all, his brain had taken to using every dirty act he’d ever heard Macao and Wakaba talk about and imagined them with Lucy’s face. And he knew that he really liked it, which sort of weirded him out. It was his best friend after all, the girl he had saved from perverted pigs dozens of times. Obviously he knew he was a boy and he knew he had needs (oh the older members of Fairy Tail had reminded him of that  _several_  times), but naughty thoughts about Lucy made him feel weird. And to make matters worse, it wasn’t the only strange behavior he found himself with around her. No, it was only the beginning.

The instant that he didn’t know where Lucy was, he practically lost any sense of time or space. He always sort of panicked, felt it bubbling in his throat and he didn’t know why. More than once, he’d found himself wandering toward the bathroom in Fairy Tail a few minutes after Lucy had announced her need to use it, and he was pretty sure the entire guild had picked up on that by now. He’d always been protective of her since Phantom Lord kidnapped her, and hyper-aware of creeps since the first catcall he witnessed (oh the poor bastard who didn’t notice the infamous wizard Salamander at her side). But something in him had changed, and he wasn’t really sure when. The protectiveness had clearly deepened, so much so that he wasn’t himself when Lucy wasn’t near. And the moment he found her, he always had to touch her; he couldn’t ever explain why, it was just reassurance he needed.

Gajeel and Wendy were certainly among the first to notice his changed behavior. Mostly because in their presence - especially Gajeel’s - Natsu was about ten times worse than normal. When they were present, he always had a hand on her. Always subtly smelling her to make sure the metal mouth wasn’t rubbing off on her, even when he was very clearly involved with Levy. Gray had always been a rival to him, but the one day he walked into the guild and found the two of them alone at a table, he’d burned up furiously and nearly throttled the ice wizard (probably would’ve too, if Juvia hadn’t had the same idea toward Lucy, and the two collided before they had reached their target).

Sure he was hot-headed, but he’d never been the jealous type. Every man who looked at Lucy ignited deep anger within him, and he couldn’t help but glower. He let a magazine stand on fire once because it had issues of Sorcerer Weekly featuring “Lucy Heartfilia, the Star of Fairy Tail, bares ALL!” and a group of attractive young men were discussing how they might catch her attention. Gray - bearing the brunt of most of this and it wasn’t to do with his crush on Lucy when she first joined Fairy Tail at all - was the first to suggest to Natsu he might be jealous of the people giving Lucy all the attention she has been getting.

He most certainly was not jealous. No he didn’t get upset whenever Lucy wasn’t around, he didn’t practically ignore everyone else in favor for her when she was in the room, and he didn’t purposely sleep in bed with her to try and cover her in his own campfire-like scent both because he liked it with her vanilla essence and to keep other males away from her. Simply, the answer was just that Natsu was losing his mind and it seemed to revolve around Lucy.

No, it wasn’t like he felt a part of him was missing when she wasn’t around. At all.

He was losing his mind because of her, but she never seemed to notice that she was the reason why.

Natsu looked up when Lucy entered the room; he knew it the way his entire body relaxed, yet spurred to life, the moment that he smelled her. He had been sitting the guild hall, trying to control his impulse to run and search for her and make sure she was safe, when he’d known she had just been with Levy.

_What if something happened to her and you weren’t there?_

_Shut up, it’s the library._  But the voice in his head spoke what he was truly thinking.

“Natsu!” Lucy called, and his entire body reacted to the sound of her voice saying his name. He jumped to his feet and raced to her side.

“Got a job for us today, Lucy?” Any time with her was time he didn’t have to be worrying about her.

Her expression deflated his elation though.

“Sorry, Natsu,” she only sounded partially apologetic though. “This really cute guy asked me on a date yesterday! So I was coming to tell you not to take any jobs until after tomorrow, okay?”

“Why?” He groaned sadly, but on the inside he was prickling. Okay, on the outside he was too, as he realized his clenched fist had slightly caught fire. And he might be scowling instead of frowning based on the smug look Gajeel was giving him.

“Because I actually really like this guy and I want it to work out and you know… I want it to work out while still having you as my partner. Okay Natsu? Thanks.”

He grew agitated as she walked away. Another date huh? He thought she was done with those. Oh well, there was nothing he could do if “Happy” found a job that he just had to take, because Lucy would certainly want to come if they found one.

Yes, he clearly had to just be losing his mind. Anything else was absurd.


	6. A Fairy Tale

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Natsu wants to give Lucy the world, but all he has to offer the Heartfilia heiress is himself. why did the dragon have to fall for the princess?

_Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess. She had everything anyone could want - a loving family, lots of money, lots of friends. She was the prettiest of her kingdom, with golden blonde hair and pretty brown eyes and just, no one seemed to compare to her. She also owned a set of magical keys, which allowed her to summon her friends of the zodiac constellations whenever she might need them._

_The princess had everything a girl could desire. She believed in love, and happiness, and always wanted to help others. She loved the night sky, and knew every constellation in it. She showed anyone who listened. Her mother taught her to use the magical keys, and her mother taught her the constellations. But then her mother suddenly became sick and passed away. After that, the princess's father became detached and greedy. He couldn't bare the sight of his beautiful daughter, for she was the splitting image of his deceased wife. So the princess didn't enjoy her life anymore. There was only so much she could take before she left, and it was upon her father's plans to sell her off to someone in marriage that she finally broke. And she dressed herself in normal clothes rather than her pretty dresses, and with nothing else but her keys, left._

_At the same time the princess was growing up, there existed a young dragon. He had pink hair, and was very strong, and liked to blow fire at anyone he met, as he liked to fight and liked to win. The young dragon had lost his father dragon, but found a place where he met others who were in similar situations. He was traveling, getting stronger, all to find his father. And on his travels to find him, that was when he met the princess._

_The two of them butted heads initially, but when a guy tried to kidnap the princess, they realized they worked really well together. Noticing how strong she was under a horrible situation, he invited her to join the group of friends he had, so close they had become a family. And he ultimately decided to team up with her, so that they could both accomplish their goals. He never regretted it for one day._

_The princess and the dragon went through many trials, so many that I can't even name them. They laughed, they cried, they triumphed, they fought together. The dragon helped protect her when her father sent a group of bandits to retrieve her. The princess continued to believe in him, so that he might be able to win against anyone who he fought. They faced many bad people, and even stood up against an all-powerful dragon who nearly killed them. They were trapped together frozen in time for seven years._

_Once rescued, they realized just how far the world had traveled without them. It was a time of reunion, but also a time of sadness. So much of their friends' lives they had missed. But most importantly, when they finally woke up after seven years, the princess discovered that her father, who previously ignored her and then tried to kidnap her, had attempted to make amends for his mistakes before he tragically passed away. The dragon did everything he could to comfort his grieving friend; and they became closer than ever._

_And they went on even more countless adventures, so many more that I can't name them all. They faced a rival group for the title of strongest, fought older dragons sent from the past to kill them, and went to war against a guild full of demons. The princess and the dragon were partners, were everything to one another. Until the dragon left after the demons had been defeated._

_He could never really give her a true explanation as to why he left, and the guilt of doing so would forever haunt him. This gave rise to new feelings, which only made his guilt worse in some sort of cycle of emotional torture. His realization terrified him._

_The dragon had fallen in love with the princess._

_He wasn't sure when it happened, but one thing was sure; he would do anything for her. But he never told the princess how he felt._

  Lucy was silent for a long time as she mulled over and over his final words of the story. Her expression was blank, pouring everything over it. She knew the story had been based on them - that much was obvious, she'd grown up like a princess in the Heartfilia manor and Natsu was the son of Igneel, the king of Fire Dragons - but to say the dragon loved the princess? Was that real too?

  "Why didn't he ever tell her?" She asked quietly.

  "Hm?" Natsu blinked and looked at her with a considerate expression. There was something else there, however. She could see it in his eyes but she couldn't explain exactly what it was.

  "Why didn't the dragon tell the princess he loved her?" She repeated, shifting her position in her seat on the couch so that she sat with crossed legs. "She could have loved him too."

  "Pfft, that's where you saw the story going? Weirdo."

  "Natsu!" She exclaimed, frustrated that he was dodging her question. "You told me you wanted my opinion on the story, didn't you? Well, if you're actually intending on writing it or telling it to people, I think a lot of them will be upset because you've built up their relationship so much - you've presented so much evidence of how important they are to each other - and now you're saying the dragon was in love with her. I get that real life doesn't always work that way but... why shouldn't they be together?"

  "What if the princess doesn't feel the same way?" He asked her. His intense gaze caused a blush to spread across her cheeks. Lucy told herself she had no idea why.

  "Well, he wouldn't know unless he told her, right?"

  "But if she doesn't feel the same, that would only ruin things between them. She would feel guilty because she didn't love him back, and he would feel guilty for forcing his feelings on her."

  "And why, Natsu, wouldn't she feel the same?"

  The dragon slayer shifted uncomfortably in his seat on the couch. He seemed to mull over his words several times before speaking. "The young dragon was raised only by his father, and when he lost him, he didn't even have that. He lived on his own for years, didn't even learn how to read until he met his other friends. He's loud, and likes to solve his problems by fighting. He has no manners, nothing to offer her but himself. She grew up with everything. Dragons are usually the bad guys who guard the princesses, aren't they?"

  Lucy giggled a little to herself, covering her mouth with her hand. "So? Even if the only thing he can give her is his love, that comes with so much else. Their everlasting friendship, and his love, his promise to never leave her alone again. And he's given her a life of adventure, one where she truly belongs. I think that's more than any rich man could give her, don't you think?"

  "Her father would never approve of him," Natsu answered with a grumble. He crossed his arms and pouted.

  Lucy got her feet, looking at him with a fond expression. "I don't think that's something that can really be known if her father passed away," the fact that such a thing was so important to him shocked her. "I mean, sure, you're the author, Natsu, so you could make that something that's defined, her father hating the dragon, but realistically, there wasn't much interaction between those two characters. I think you're creating obstacles for the dragon that don't need to be there. He shouldn't hold himself back. I think..." she paused to consider her words carefully.

  "I think the princess loves him too."

  She watched his eyebrows furrow together, biting his lip ever so slightly as Natsu drew back into thought. Her heart started to flutter, and Lucy laughed at herself. It didn't matter if he was smiling brighter than the sun, smug in the face of the greatest challenges, protective of his friends against the strongest enemy, stuffing his face full of food, or deep in thought as he was now. Natsu's extreme expressiveness was just many of the things she loved about him; especially because he looked so handsome at all times.

  Smiling to herself, Lucy stretched. "Mm, I'm gonna go to bed Natsu. You're welcome to stay, but please don't destroy my house!"

  While he was still distracted, she gathered her nerves, took a deep breath, and pressed a sweet kiss to the dragon slayer's cheek. It took him a moment to realize what had just happened, but the blush that appeared on his face and the stunned expression that followed showed Lucy her hunch was right; Natsu's story had been his attempt to reveal his feelings to her. But as sure as she was that he had waited for her to be ready, Lucy could wait a little bit longer for him to realize that all his worries were but obstacles that he had created himself.

  "Good night, my heroic dragon," said the runaway princess with a smile.


	7. How to Shatter a Dragon Slayer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When they met in Hargeon, neither of them ever expected that they would be willing to one day gamble their own lives for the other. That they would become each other’s greatest strength, and their greatest weakness.

  So you want to slay a dragon slayer? That will not be an easy task. Such a wizard hasn't earned their title lightly.

  The magic of a dragon slayer stems from long ago, when a handful of dragons who loved humanity taught the little humans magic so that they might fight back against the dragons who wanted to destroy them. Not only do dragon slayers have intense magical power, enough to allow them to slay dragons, but they also have incredible senses of sight, hearing, and smell. It's nearly impossible to sneak up on one.

  Dragon slayers are known for their mighty physical strength, too. They can take a beating, and dish it back tenfold. The strength you must possess to stand against one, to wrestle their life in your hands, is immeasurable.

  But it's not just any dragon slayer that you want dead, either. It's Natsu Dragneel, isn't it? The mightiest of dragon slayers to ever exist. Well that makes your job much, much harder.

  On top of being the strongest dragon slayer, he's always surrounded by his equally powerful friends. Erza Scarlet, Gray Fullbuster, Gajeel Redfox, are just to name a few. The whole might of Fairy Tail will descend upon you should your intentions become known. You must snuff out his fire quickly, and then disappear before anyone understands what has happened. Not only that, but his unquenchable spirit must be shattered for you to even think of killing him.

  Attack Natsu Dragneel directly, and you are only asking to lose. Play with fire, and you will be burned. The son of Igneel will have no mercy on someone presented as an enemy. His friends won't either.

  But Lucy Heartfilia, no matter how strong she may grow, will always be his weakness. He has gone to hell and back for her, and will continue to do so. She will always do the same for him. Like the never ending cycle of yin and yang, their love for one another gifts them the strength to face down any enemy... as well as the opportunity for a fatal blow.

  If you must fight Natsu Dragneel, do it when Lucy, and only Lucy, is at his side. Yes, her presence will surely make the strongest dragon slayer stronger. But play your cards just right, and you'll have already won.

  His star, his brightest light, will help him anyway she can. Though his strength vastly outnumbers hers, you should leave the celestial wizard alone for now. Attacking her will only throw him into a Fire Dragon's rage, diminishing your chances of winning. He protects her, that's what he does.

  No, you wait. You throw him off your trail. You distract him. And then you kill Lucy Heartfilia.

  It will take him back to a time he isn't proud of. He saw her die once, a version of her from the future slain by another, and he promised himself he would never let that happen again. It's your job to make him break that promise.

  Watch the spirit drain from his eyes as darkness swallows her starlight whole. The horror arises as his will to fight falls.

  What's the one true way to break a dragon slayer? The mightiest dragon slayer to ever live?

  "Lucy!"

  You wait for him to shatter himself over the one he holds closest in the world.

**Author's Note:**

> Follow me on my tumblr, @ship-ambrosia! I'm always looking for more people to yell about Fairy Tail with, I'm also in a ton of different fandoms and I'm always looking for more!


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